Dosing device

ABSTRACT

The dosing device comprises a simple substantially continuously operating construction that has a rotatable upper container unit and a lower stationary bottom dispensing unit. Radial partitions are disposed at the bottom area of the upper unit, and the outer end of each partition is connected to the inside wall of the upper unit. The lower unit is provided with a bottom plate having a discharge opening that corresponds to the area of one compartment between two partitions.

United States Patent Voigt Mar. 14, 1972 I54] DOSING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Gottfried Voigt, Nieder Eschbach, Germany 1,424,682 8/1922 Schlosser ..222/ 144 2,228,974 1/1941 Portwood...

1,184,074 5/1916 Clark 3,260,415 7/1966 Minamiyama et a] ..222/ 1 68.5 X

Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-Larry Martin Attorney-Emest F. Marmorek ABSTRACT I73] Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany A [22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 23,324

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 24, 1969 Germany ..P 19 20 840.3

[52] [1.8. CI...... ....222/168.5, 222/452 [51] Int. Cl ..B56d 5/64 [58] Field of Search ..222/144, 162, 167-170, 222/452, 425-430 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,617,922 2/1927 Morrison ..222/452 zalL/l If 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 8 EN 7 i DOSING DEVICE This invention relates generally to a dosing device for dispensing measured quantities of loose goods such as coffee, for example.

More particularly, the invention relates to a dosing device of the type where a stationary bottom plate supports and guides a rotary container having compartments adapted for cooperation with a discharge opening in the bottom plate.

Prior art devices of this type usually comprise two openings in the bottom plate, and two compartments in the rotary container. These compartments are first filled up with the loose material. To discharge these compartments, the container must be turned to place the compartments above the discharge openings and, subsequently, returned to its charging position.

The disadvantage of these known devices resides in the fact that the dosing and discharging processes cannot be accomplished continuously, but during each discharge the filling process is stopped and vice versa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a dosing device wherein the separate cycle of filling the loose material is avoided.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dosing device which is simple in design and operation.

According to this invention, the above objects are attained by providing a single discharge opening at the bottom plate, and a plurality of radially arranged partitions that are integral at the outer ends thereof with the bottom portion of the inside wall of the rotary container unit to form a plurality of uniform compartments. The opening is covered by a shield segment that is fixedly supported at the level of the partitions by a central stationary collar. The shield segment has preferably a roof-like configuration and is extended to overlap partially into adjacent compartments.

As a result of this novel arrangement, the separate step of filling the compartments is no longer necessary. The container unit can be now continuously rotated for predetermined angular displacements corresponding to the angles of respective compartments, and the dose from the compartment above the opening is discharged simultaneously with the filling of the empty compartment. Moreover, the design and the spatial arrangement of the dosing device is considerably improved, since due to the single opening in the stationary bottom, there is no need for separate covering devices for a number of discharge openings as in the prior art devices.

In order to facilitate the manipulation of the dosing device of this invention, a locking mechanism is installed on the guiding ring for the rotary container unit to lock this container at displacements corresponding to the angle between two partitions of the radial compartment. The locking mechanism is interadjusted with the position of the shield segment as to arrest a compartment exactly at the position between the shield segment and the discharge opening.

The covering shield segment is shaped into a streamlined form or into an inclined roof-like configuration to reduce the friction forces resulting from the rotation of the loose material within the container unit. Furthermore, the lateral sides of the shield segments are extended as far into the adjacent compartments as possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING The above stated as well as further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearly apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the dosing device according to this invention, and

Flg. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the device of FIG. 1, with the lid removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With reference to FIG. 1, the dosing device of this invention is assembled of two units, namely of a rotary container unit 1 and a dispensing bottom unit 4. Both are units 1 and 4 have a cylindrical configuration and are arranged about a common vertical axis of symmetry. The contrainer unit 1 is coupled for rotation in a stationary guiding ring 3 that is integral with the periphery of the bottom unit 4. The central area of the bottom unit 4 is shaped into a cylindrical, upwardly projecting guiding collar 5 that firmly supports the inner end of a roof-shaped shield segment 6. The bottom unit 4 has a discharge opening 10 which is situated below the shield segment 6.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the inside wall portion of the container unit 1 that faces the guiding collar 5 is rigidly connected with outer ends of a plurality of radially directed and uniformly spaced partitions 8. The inner ends of these partitions 8 are integrally connected with a ring 7 that is in slidable contact with the cylindrical wall of the guiding collar 5. The bottom of the partitions 8 are in slidable contact with the bottom unit 4, whereas the top surfaces of the partitions are leveled with the bottom of the shield segment 6. As a result, the bottom area of the container unit, 1 is thus divided into a plurality of equal compartments 9 which determine the amount of the dose, and which are displaceable in the direction of rotation of the rotary container unit 1.

The opening 10 at the bottom unit 4 has a shape that corresponds preferably to the cross section of the compartment 9. The compartment 9 that has been displaced in alignment with the opening 10 and shield segment 6, is held in the exactly aligned position by the aid of a locking spring 11 that is affixed to the guiding ring 3 and projects therethrough to slide on the periphery of the rotary container unit 1, and to engage with locking notches 12 the position of which is adjusted for each compartment 9. The shield segment 6, as illustrated in FIG. 2, has its flanks extended to cover approximately one-half of each compartment 9 which is adjacent to the discharged compartment 9'.

It is evident that the loose goods in the container unit 1 fill up all compartments simultaneously except the compartment 9' that is covered by the shield segment 6. As soon as the container unit 1 is turned about one compartment, the compartment 9 above the opening 10 is discharged at the same time as the empty compartment 9 is filled up.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by letters patent, is as follows:

1. A dosing device, for use in dispensing measured quantities of loose material, especially of coffee,

comprising in combination,

an upper container unit and a dispensing bottom unit, said units being coupled to each other for rotation about a common vertical axis of symmetry;

a plurality of radially directed partitions secured at predetermined intervals to a bottom portion of the inside wall of said container unit;

said bottom unit being in slidable contact with the bottoms of said partitions, and having at the central area thereof an upwardly projecting collar that slidably abuts against the inner ends of said partitions; a discharge opening defined in said bottom unit within the range of the area between two consecutive partitions; and

a shield segment firmly secured at its inner end to the top of said collar, and extending sufficiently far as to be in operative proximity of the inside wall of said container unit thereby substantially to cover said discharge opening in the range of the area between two consecutive partitions, said upper container unit being a rotary unit, and said dispensing bottom unit being stationary.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising locking means operable for locking said container unit at predetermined angular positions relative to said dispensing bottom unit, whereby the angular displacement between each wall of said container unit;

two adjoining positions corresponds to the angle between consaid bottom unit being in slidable contact with the bottoms secutive partitions. of said partitions, and having at the central area thereof 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said bottom an upwardly projecting collar that lidably abuts against unit is provided with a peripheral ring that is slidably coupled 5 h inner d f id artitions, a discharge opening with the Outside Wall of Said rotary container unitdefined in said bottom unit within the range of the area 4. The device according to claim 1, and a ring disposed between two consecutive partitions; and

within said upper unit, the inner ends of said radial partitions a shield Segment fi securcd at its inner end to the top f being integrally connected to the outside of said ring, the inside wall of said ring being in slidable contact with the periphery of said collar.

5. A dosing device, for use in dispensing measured quantities of loose material,

comprising in combination, an upper container unit and a dispensing bottom unit, said units being coupled to each other for rotation about a common vertical axis ofsymmetry; a plurality of radially directed partitions secured at predetermined intervals to a bottom portion of the inside said collar, and extending sufficiently far as to be in operative proximity of the inside wall of said container unit thereby substantially to cover said discharge opening in the range of the area between two consecutive partitions, said upper container unit being a rotary unit, and said dispensing unit being stationary, said shield segment having a configuration of an inwardly inclined roof that extends laterally beyond the area of said discharge openmg. 

1. A dosing device, for use in dispensing measured quantities of loose material, especially of coffee, comprising in combination, an upper container unit and a dispensing bottom unit, said units being coupled to each other for rotation about a common vertical axis of symmetry; a plurality of radialLy directed partitions secured at predetermined intervals to a bottom portion of the inside wall of said container unit; said bottom unit being in slidable contact with the bottoms of said partitions, and having at the central area thereof an upwardly projecting collar that slidably abuts against the inner ends of said partitions; a discharge opening defined in said bottom unit within the range of the area between two consecutive partitions; and a shield segment firmly secured at its inner end to the top of said collar, and extending sufficiently far as to be in operative proximity of the inside wall of said container unit thereby substantially to cover said discharge opening in the range of the area between two consecutive partitions, said upper container unit being a rotary unit, and said dispensing bottom unit being stationary.
 2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising locking means operable for locking said container unit at predetermined angular positions relative to said dispensing bottom unit, whereby the angular displacement between each two adjoining positions corresponds to the angle between consecutive partitions.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said bottom unit is provided with a peripheral ring that is slidably coupled with the outside wall of said rotary container unit.
 4. The device according to claim 1, and a ring disposed within said upper unit, the inner ends of said radial partitions being integrally connected to the outside of said ring, the inside wall of said ring being in slidable contact with the periphery of said collar.
 5. A dosing device, for use in dispensing measured quantities of loose material, comprising in combination, an upper container unit and a dispensing bottom unit, said units being coupled to each other for rotation about a common vertical axis of symmetry; a plurality of radially directed partitions secured at predetermined intervals to a bottom portion of the inside wall of said container unit; said bottom unit being in slidable contact with the bottoms of said partitions, and having at the central area thereof an upwardly projecting collar that slidably abuts against the inner ends of said partitions, a discharge opening defined in said bottom unit within the range of the area between two consecutive partitions; and a shield segment firmly secured at its inner end to the top of said collar, and extending sufficiently far as to be in operative proximity of the inside wall of said container unit thereby substantially to cover said discharge opening in the range of the area between two consecutive partitions, said upper container unit being a rotary unit, and said dispensing unit being stationary, said shield segment having a configuration of an inwardly inclined roof that extends laterally beyond the area of said discharge opening. 